


Learn the Basics First

by roami



Series: Fic Dump [3]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen, Self-Indulgent, Uchiha Sasuke-centric
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-08
Updated: 2019-06-08
Packaged: 2020-04-11 12:19:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,059
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19109536
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/roami/pseuds/roami
Summary: One day Sasuke decides to go to the library. He needs to appeal to his superiors to boost his grades, after all. This decision changes things.





	Learn the Basics First

Sasuke stepped quietly into the Konoha Library. A pair of civilians sat on a table. An older shinobi read from a scroll near a shelf labeled ‘ninjutsu’. Sasuke had never been to the library before. He'd gotten lost on the way to it since he'd never gone anywhere in Konoha outside of the compound, the Academy, and the road in between. It would've been easier to read the books in his father's office at home, but he hadn't been in any of the rooms besides the bedroom and bathroom since _that night_. He didn't plan to go in there anytime soon.

 

Positivity and Cooperation could die in a ditch, Sasuke had decided. Those two grades were worthless. He had taijutsu, genjutsu, and ninjutsu down. He didn't understand where he was going wrong in Classroom Attitude. He was quiet and did all his work and didn't bother the teacher or his classmates. He would've asked his teachers, but they seemed busy enough as it was and he didn't want to bother them. He only had books to fall back on.

 

Sasuke didn't know where to look. The sections for the three main shinobi arts were clearly labeled. The rest of the books for shinobi were restricted and Sasuke wasn't a shinobi yet. He could always sneak in, but he doubted that he would find what he needed in there. He needed to find something about how to appeal to superiors. Where could he find that?

 

Another lady was sitting at a table, sorting through a stack of books. Sasuke glanced at the shelves and back at her. He really didn't want to bother anyone, but this was his last hope.

 

“Hey,” he said, walking up to her. She turned to look at him. She stared for a moment and once he was right in front of her, her eyebrows furrowed either in confusion or annoyance. Sasuke suspected it was the latter. He didn't care about formalities, but maybe that was part of the problem. “Where can I find a book about appealing to my superiors?”

 

She frowned, placing the book she was holding on the table and giving him her full attention.

 

“Why do you want something like that?”

 

Sasuke scowled. “It's not your business. Do you know or not?”

 

The woman seemed humored. Sasuke didn't like it.

 

“Am I not your superior in this situation?” she asked. Sasuke crossed his arms.

 

“No. We have the same rank.”

 

“You're also a jounin in reserves?”

 

Sasuke didn't miss a beat. “Being in reserves means you don't currently hold the status of jounin. In the present moment, you are as much of a civilian as I am. Now you can either point me in the right direction or tell me to leave you alone so I can stop wasting both of our times.”

 

The woman put her elbow on the desk and rested her chin in her hand. Her glare softened to curious stare. “You're in Shikamaru's class, aren't you?” she asked. Sasuke continued to glare. The woman smiled and pointed at one of the books in her pile. “Alright, I get it, you don't want to waste time. I have a perfect book for you and some advice if you want to hear it. Kami, I wish Shikamaru was as motivated as you.”

 

Sasuke climbed into the chair across from her without a word. He wasn't sure he agreed with this woman (Shikamaru's mom?). He was only doing this because he needed to get through the Academy faster and make genin so he could start learning advanced jutsu and become stronger than _that man_. He wouldn't wish for anyone else to be cursed with such a motivation.

 

The woman picked up the book she'd pointed at. The cover was plain gray, giving away no information about the contents of the book.

 

“This was written by an anonymous ANBU about the fundamentals of operating as a spy. It's from the restricted section, but I'll get it out for you if you tell me why you need such a thing.”

 

“The sooner I pass the Academy, the sooner I can learn new techniques and get stronger,” Sasuke stated bluntly, reaching out and grabbing the book from the woman's hand.

 

“I could've evaded that,” she challenged.

 

“But you didn't,” Sasuke pointed out. “And now I have it.”

 

“I could take it from you.”

 

Sasuke glanced around, noting the civilian left at the table and the other three shinobi who'd entered. “You could try.”

 

She seemed satisfied with that, so Sasuke got out of the chair and made to leave.

 

“I'd like to see you again once you finish that, Uchiha,” she said loudly to make sure he'd heard. Sasuke froze.

 

“Why?” he asked without turning around. No one wanted to talk to him after _that night_. People would point at him on the road and whisper to their friends, but not even his instructor would speak to him about it, much less the people who should, like the Sandaime.

 

“I want to help you,” she replied, tone much more gentle than it had just been. “I can pass the time with someone who appreciates it and you get to learn more and get stronger. Neither of us are too busy. I'm sure you want to advance upon what you're learning at the Academy.”

 

_Your family is too dead to teach you and you couldn't possibly be too busy_ went unsaid, but Sasuke heard it nonetheless. He grit his teeth and felt his shoulders tense at the implications. She was right. He had no reason to refuse that. She'd been a jounin. There was nothing negative about the arrangement.

 

Sasuke walked away.

 

* * *

 

If there was one message that Sasuke had gotten from the book, it was that everything had potential to be a deception. He wished he'd known that sooner. It had told him plenty about appealing to his superiors. About appealing to people in general. Using them for what he needed. But there was one message that the book was clearly trying to convey, cited with a famous quote. _Look underneath the underneath_ , it'd said. Never take anything at face value. He wished he'd known that sooner. _Your closest friend might be your worst enemy._

 

Sasuke entered the library a week later and went right to the table he'd found the woman at before.


End file.
